UPDATE: The winner is…flchen!
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Hello Delilah! Thank you so much for inviting me here today to discuss my latest release. Didn’t See You Coming is an LGBTQ young adult paranormal ghost story romance novel.
Phew.
That’s a lot to cram into a description, but I want to make certain to hit all the high points – gay teenagers, ghosts, a touch of romance.
I’ve never written a young adult novel before. I’ll be frank — I don’t read a ton of them either. But some have crossed my path, and I’ve snapped them up — several that were LGBTQ. I still wouldn’t have felt remotely qualified to write one.
Yet you’re thinking…but Gabbi, you did write one.
This all started back in April. My publisher, The Wild Rose Press, held an open chat where they discussed their new YA series. I almost didn’t attend the chat, but something said do it! So I went with my gut and attended the chat. When the concept of Pinedale High School in North Carolina was introduced, I was mildly interested. As the chat continued, though, I was hit with a thunderbolt. I needed to write a book. A book for the series. A book with LGBTQ characters. I hoped other authors would include gay kids in their books, but I realized we needed a book where the queer kids were the protagonists. My gut had directed me to that chat. That same gut said I had to write a book.
Since 2024 was the year of hell yes! I asked in the chat if they would be interested in a sweet LGBTQ story. I got an enthusiastic hell yes. At the same time, I was talking to Plot Whisperer in DMs who was waking up on the other side of the world. I started talking to her and she suggested a naked ghost.
I was like…huh?
Still, the publisher chat ended with a request we submit proposals. I spent a week working the details out in my mind and, through my editor, submitted a proposal.
And then I didn’t hear back.
I didn’t worry because I was literally up to my neck in a different book.
Then I got the proverbial “call.” The one all writers wait for.
Well, not quite. The president of the publisher, who is also the senior editor for the young adult line, emailed me and said, “How fast can you write this?”
I was like, “Fast…” (Because in the year of hell yes we agree to everything.) She said, “Do it.” She also placed a virtually impossible deadline before me.
But she saw, I believe, what I saw — the chance for authentic representation. The chance to show queer kids in a positive light.
A couple of weeks later, I was ready to write. I had my gay couple, my lesbian couple, my ghosts…and no effing clue what I was doing.
No worries, Plot Whisperer to the rescue. I gave her what I had — which was actually a lot more than I usually have — and together we crafted a solid plot. The problem? I had six point of view characters. Now, most authors will tell you that’s Herculean. Some would say impossible. Hell, some said to me that it wasn’t possible. I believed in this book, though, so I wrote it the way it was begging to be written. With six equal characters.
50k words in 17 days. While I was working. Just…insane.
Then came the brutal beta readers. I don’t normally have so many, but I needed honest opinions. And I got them. One suggested cutting a character entirely and said the epilogue didn’t work. One found certain aspects confusing. Brutal beta reader sort of took it apart and then helped me put it back together. Sensitivity reader taught me more about my blind spots. I write interracial romances, and I will always have someone read my work to ensure I’m getting it as right as I can.
Finally, I had my teenage beta reader. They got the final draft. I will say, when I approached their mom, a good friend, I didn’t know beta reader’s circumstances. That they’d changed their name and their pronouns. That they sort of identified as nonbinary. To say I felt privileged they were willing to help would be an understatement. But they were honest with me and made the book so much better. With their critical stamp of approval, I sent the book to my editor.
I also was required to send a synopsis. I begged my editor, for just this one time (okay, second, but who’s counting?) to not read the synopsis and to read the book cold. She didn’t know about the six POV characters. If she didn’t get the book, I knew massive edits would be required. She had veto power over the book — if it didn’t work, it wasn’t going to get published.
I’ll never forget I submitted it on July 4th. My editor is American, so I had no expectations. She answered my email that she had it and would get back to me within a week.
Thus began the wait.
Four hours later, her glowing email arrived. She loved it. Edits, to be sure, but she loved it.
Now, I will confide I had to fight to keep every F-bomb. And the book, aside from language, is genuinely sweet. It’s also the book of my heart. I wanted full representation — and I got it. Gay, bi, lesbian, and naked ghost. A multicultural story.
Naturally, I’m hoping readers love the book. My nonbinary beta reader asked me when I was going to write the next book for them. (Spoiler alert — possibly sooner than anyone expected.) This is a book I’m proud to share with people. This is a book I’m encouraging people to ask their library to order. I want this book in the hands of as many teenagers as possible. So kids won’t feel alone. So they’ll know they’re seen. That their stories matter.
Okay! That was a lot. From the book I never thought I’d write to today was an intense eight-month journey. That’s short in the world of traditional publishing. An entire team worked their asses off to make certain we would be the third book in this series and that I could bring representation. In the end, I’m grateful to have been given this opportunity. To the publisher, to my beta readers, to my editor — to everyone.
I also managed to get the book recorded on audio by the wonderful narrator Michael Ferraiuolo. He did such an amazing job and I’m hoping listeners get a real taste of my story.
Thank you, Delilah, for inviting me here today. I’m so grateful, as always, that you provide me with this opportunity to share my work. As a thank you, I’d like to award one lucky commenter with a prize. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, please let me know if you’ve read any young adult novels that stuck with you. Or what was your favorite book you read as you were growing up? Judy Blume was a favorite of mine (yes, I’m dating myself). Random will pick the winner. Thank you and good luck!
Didn’t See You Coming
Pinedale High—where every shade of love stands a ghost of a chance.
Holden and Peyton don’t expect much from senior year. He probably won’t manage to date any guys. She’ll still pine over Juliette, the beautiful and unattainable cheerleader. But when they step between class bullies and Oliver, a super-hot transfer student, their year starts to go off the rails.
As a star football player, Oliver hadn’t anticipated trouble. Turns out Pinedale High not only comes with bullies, but with new friends, plus the ghost of a Civil War soldier, and a shy naked guy in the library. Between the living and the dead, senior year is about to get interesting.
Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/Didnt
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D4MWFN3S
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/didnt-see-you-coming-gabbi-grey/1146433159
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/didnt-see-you-coming/id6737234908
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220663889-didn-t-see-you-coming
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.
Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
I’m feeling a little better. Got some rest. I had a white cell count booster shot yesterday. Next, I have an appointment at the end of next week for a PET scan to see how much my cancer has reduced (crossing my fingers it’s a lot!). Then, I have a follow-on appointment the Monday after to get the results and begin my first immunotherapy infusion. Whew! Hopefully, there will be another appointment added to see a surgeon to get my girlie parts removed!
Amazon very kindly reinstated my pre-order ability, but now I’m afraid to use it in case I don’t finish the next book in time. LOL. I have no confidence, but I guess I’ll go ahead and set one up for a far-away date to give myself some leeway, then change it to a sooner date when the book is done. I’m talking about Ignition, the last of the Delta Heat stories, which is almost all written at this point! Just a chapter or two to go, and I’m done. I’ll attack it next week and see how it goes. I’ll announce here when I set up the pre-order—after I regain my nerve.
I bought this little brainstorming tool years ago at some writers’ conference. “Story Cubes” is a brainstorming game. You roll the dice, and whatever pictures appear face-up are the ones you use to riff off a story. You can try to include all the cubes in your “story” or choose a few. The story you tell doesn’t have to be long or even any good. They all count!
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